


Show Me a Hero

by AnAverageGirl15



Series: Show Me a Hero, and I'll Write You a Tragedy [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-27 01:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9944342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnAverageGirl15/pseuds/AnAverageGirl15
Summary: Mon-El's past finally catches up to him, prompting him to make a decision that will change his future forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The biggest issue I have with Mon-El's character is him being robbed of all his actual powers. This story will fix that. It will also delve into how I imagine what could happen with Mon-El's arc to becoming a superhero. He will also get his suit in this story! The boy needs one badly, let's be honest. I have most of this already written out and was planning on posting it as a one-shot until it went way over the 10k mark. So multichapter it is.

_"Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy." - **F. Scott Fitzgerald**_

Mon-El woke suddenly, his chest tight as he gasped for air. It was the same nightmare he had had since landing on earth. The day of Daxam’s death. The scenes would change each time, but there was one constant fact. He would have to watch as his people died without him. Pushing himself up, he swung his legs down, letting his feet hit the cool floor. As his elbows rested against his knees, he brought his head down to his hands. He tried to even out his breath, but found it more difficult than times before. This nightmare had not been a made up scenario, but the memory of his best friend dying for him, instead of him. He felt the room start to spin as he started to gasp for air, panic rising within him. Sweat started to bead at his temples as his hands began to shake. He didn’t want to think about Daxam or that day. He wanted to forget it all. To keep pretending that it never happened. He tugged at his hair, welcoming the sting of pain. However, it wasn’t enough of a distraction to quell the rising panic.

Spots started to dance in his vision when a warm arm wrapped around him from behind. Kara’s sleep-ladened voice spoke soothingly to him. “I’m right here. Just focus on my voice, Mon-El. I’ve got you.” She continued to speak softly, her hand resting on his chest over his heart as she pushed him gently back into her own body. Mon-El focused on her, feeling the rise and fall of her breasts against his back. Her warm hand pressing so close to his racing heart. He focused on the way her hair tickled at his skin as he felt her lips just barely graze his shoulder. He let her words wash over him as he tried to match his breathing with hers. He focused on her own heartbeat, using it as a metronome for his own heartbeat. Finally after several minutes passed, his breathing normalized as his heart slowed to a steady beat. Letting out one last huff of air, Mon-El’s spoke gruffly, “I didn’t mean to wake you. Sorry.”

Shaking her head, Kara kissed his shoulder before kissing his neck. “It’s alright.” She paused briefly before asking softly, “Was it that nightmare again? About Daxam?” At his short nod, Kara wrapped her other arm around Mon-El, crushing her breasts against his back. She remembered when she first landed on Earth how she had had nightmares of Krypton’s death. Eliza had been the one to comfort her back then. She had let Kara mourn for her planet’s death.

Kara now offered that to Mon-El. She had witnessed his nightmares two other times. The first one had scared her half to death before she realized what was happening. They had talked briefly after that one. Mon-El admitted that he had had those dreams before and Kara felt stricken at the knowledge that he had been forced to go through that alone. He reassured her he was fine and they happened rarely. When she asked what she could do to help, Mon-El had shrugged telling her he honestly didn’t know. When the second one happened, Kara had tried just talking to him at first but soon saw that her words weren’t getting through to him. She then placed her hand against his back and watched as he leaned into her touch. Later, after talking to Eliza about her concerns, she realized that Mon-El needed to be grounded to the present to help him be released from the past. Eliza also warned against her pushing for more information than he was willing to give. She promised Kara that, given time, Mon-El would open up to her. Kara had been the same way, having finally opened up about her nightmares to her adoptive mother after six long months of dealing with it silently.

Now, Kara pressed another kiss to his shoulder. They stayed like that, Kara on her knees with her chest pressed against his back and arms wrapped tightly around him, for a few more minutes. His weight against her chest bringing comfort to not only him, but Kara as well. Mon-El was the one to break the silence as he whispered, “You need to get some more sleep, I know you have a lot of work to do at CatCo in the morning.” He squeezed one of her hands gently, prompting her to slowly move out from behind him. They resettled themselves in Kara’s bed, Mon-El pulling Kara so her back was pressed against his chest. His arm wrapped around her midsection as he whispered, “Thank you.”

Smiling, Kara threaded her fingers through his that rest on her abdomen. “Always.” She didn’t fall asleep until she felt his slow, even breaths against the back of her neck.

* * *

It had been a uneventful day for Supergirl, however a hectic day for Kara Danvers. Sighing as she entered the alien bar, she smiled at Mon-El as he quickly prepared her her drink. Smiling back at Kara, he asked her as she got to the bar, “How was your day?”

Taking in a slow drag of her club soda, Kara told him, “Long. Snapper was on a rampage earlier. He axed three of my stories, but kept one. So I’m counting that as a win for today.”

Leaning forward, Kara was about to kiss Mon-El when he pointed toward the cluster of tables. “We have an audience.”

Huffing softly, Kara leaned back before she looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, everyone was there. Alex gave Kara a knowing smirk, before turning back to whatever conversation they were having. Groaning softy, Kara muttered, “I really wish I hadn’t said I wanted to keep this between us right now.”

Smirking, Mon-El leaned forward a little. “I can definitely change that so everyone knows.”

Laughing, Kara smacked at his arm. “I’m sure you would like that. This is best for now, though. We’ll tell everyone else soon, I promise. I just want this to stay ours for a little longer.” Mon-El nodded, accepting Kara’s terms. He was honestly still surprised day by day that she wanted to be with him. Even after learning about his past on Daxam. Kara smiled at him, before she headed toward her sister and friends. Mon-El watched briefly as the group welcomed Kara before he went back to work. An hour passed, along with it two more rounds for their table, when they heard a sonic boom and felt the ground rumble beneath them. Glasses clanked together as the bar patrons shouted in alarm. Kara along with the rest of her friends all looked at each other before rushing out the door to see what caused it. Mon-El quickly followed behind them and looked toward the night sky. Entering the atmosphere was a large spaceship and it appeared to be heading directly toward National City.

Kara looked at J’onn, nodding at him once, before she tore her shirt open as she started to run. Shedding her clothes, she took off into the air with J’onn right behind her in his natural Martian form. Alex was already on the phone calling for back up while Winn and James rushed off to help out Kara in whatever way they could. Mon-El watched as the ship circled once before making its descent. With as much force as he could, he squatted down before pushing off the ground, leaping into the air. It was moments like these that he could almost feel himself flying, like it was in his blood. It seemed that with each leaping jump he took, his distance grew farther and farther. He landed with the ground crumbling beneath him as Kara and J’onn slowly approached the ship as it landed. Mon-El could hear the distant sound of a helicopter coming, no doubt Alex with a team of DEO agents, as well as sirens from the NCPD.

He watched as a door slid open, a hissing sound filling the air around them. James, dressed in his Guardian gear, pulled up next to Mon-El on his motorcycle as two dark figures slowly started to descend from the ship. They both moved forward as Kara called out, fisted hands resting on her hips, “Who are you? What do you want?”

One of the figures tilted their head slightly before raising a gun and aimed it at Kara. Both Mon-El and James shouted a warning as Kara shot up into the air. The blast of the weapon missed its target, sending it toward Mon-El and James. James lifted his arm, his shield forming just in time to take the full force of the blast. However it sent him flying back as the dark figure continuously shot at Kara’s flying form. As Mon-El looked toward Kara, wanting to help, he knew that she would much prefer it if he went to help James first. Pushing down his first instinct, Mon-El rushed toward James’ side to see how the man was doing. Offering a hand for assistance, he asked, “Are you alright?”

Groaning James ignored his hand as he rolled to his knees and pushed himself up. “I’m fine.”

Mon-El stayed only long enough to see that James stood on steady feet before he turned to join the fight. He watched as J’onn was thrown back by a shot from the hostile aliens. His eyes darted to Kara, just as she used her heat vision on the other alien’s gun. Seeing it fall to the ground, Mon-El moved at superspeed to assist J’onn in any way he could.

He watched as the alien aimed it’s gun at J’onn again and quickly slammed into the figure. She flew back, her head covering being dislodged with the impact. Mon-El stood in front of J’onn, using his body as a shield as the female alien groaned in pain before standing up. Mon-El was about to move forward to attack when she turned to look at him.

At first, he thought he was hallucinating, that his eyes were playing a trick on him. However, when she spoke he knew that she was real. “Lar?” His eyes slid shut for the briefest of moments as his emotions consumed him to a paralyzed state. His mother was still alive.

Everything slowed for him in that moment. He could see in his peripheral vision that Alex had arrived in a helicopter, dropping down from a rope as she shot at the alien attacking Kara as James too ran forward to try to help Kara. He saw the woman before him take a tentative step forward, her own disbelief in her eyes.

However, everything sped up as a shot rang out and he heard a cry of pain come from the other alien. A voice he knew all to well. His father. He watched, unable to move, as his mother reacted to his father’s cry of pain. She moved quickly to her husband’s side, aiming her own weapon at anyone trying to harm them. Kara easily dodged the blast from the gun. James, in his haste to help, was hit in the shoulder by one. It sent him flying back, prompting Kara to fly down to protect him from any other harm. Mon-El’s mother started to drag his father toward the ship, firing at Alex and the DEO agents as they shot back. She just entered the ship, looking at Mon-El directly one last time before the doors closed and the ship took off, cloaking itself to not be seen.

Still frozen in his place, Mon-El heard J’onn groan in pain from behind him. Blinking slowly, he started to feel the world open back up to his senses. He took in a deep, sucking breath as his mind raced with what he had just seen. His parents were still alive. The King and Queen of Daxam were on Earth. Doing the only thing he knew how to, he pushed what he was feeling down deep within himself as he moved to help J’onn up. As he did that, Alex and Kara helped James up into the helicopter to be brought to the DEO to get looked at. Offering the Martian his hand, Mon-El helped J’onn stand. “Are you okay?”

The man before him, transformed back to his human persona, stared directly into Mon-El’s eyes. Swallowing thickly, Mon-El felt as if his soul was being read and his deepest secrets were being revealed. J’onn nodded once in answer before asking back, “Are you?” Mon-El didn’t know how to answer that and was thankful that the sound of the helicopter taking off distracted both of them. They stood in silence for a tense minute, J’onn no doubt waiting for Mon-El to answer his question. In that minute, they watched as Alex moved to talk with the NCPD as Kara looked toward both J’onn and Mon-El, her brows furrowed deeply. When no answer was given from Mon-El, the Martian sighed before saying, “I’ll need you to come to the DEO as well. We need to debrief everyone.”

* * *

James grimaced in pain as Alex finished treating his wound. Kara stood behind her sister, watching pensively with Winn behind James, concern for his friend clear on his face. Once Alex stepped back, Kara reamed into James. “What were you thinking! You could have been killed.”

James looked at Kara in disbelief. Sliding off the exam table, he shouted back at her, “We were trying to help!”

Kara scoffed, turning around as her fear over losing her two friends turned to anger. Turning back to look at both James and Winn, she said, “Those were aliens, _hostile_ aliens, and you are only human. This is a battle that you can’t win. Why can’t you understand that?”

James’ nostrils flared in anger at that. “Oh, you mean because we’re not like you or Mon-El, right? The guy who _let_ the hostile aliens get away. Right? You saw what he did. He just watched them leave! He was standing right in front of them and did nothing to stop them. He just let them leave. I don’t understand why you are so adamant on him being a hero when he clearly isn’t one, Kara. At least we were trying to help. Why can’t you see that?”

Kara _had_ seen Mon-El let the aliens get away. She was going to talk with him next, after his debriefing with J’onn. She knew Mon-El would never intentionally let a hostile alien get away. However, she couldn’t deny James’ words. Dialing back her anger, Kara sighed heavily. “I know, just…”

However, Winn stopped her from whatever else she was going to say by pointing behind Kara and speaking softly, “Guys.”

Kara turned to see Mon-El standing on the other side of the closed door. He looked crushed and she knew that he had heard everything they had just said. Mon-El’s eyes darted from James – the man’s anger and disdain for him clearly seen – before looking at Kara.

He could take everyone else doubting him, but not her. Not Kara. She was the only person that ever saw any good in him. That ever saw the real him. For her to agree with James, it took his breath away as his heart constricted painfully. He had been working so hard in becoming a hero. Maybe not on the same level as Kara (and he knew he would never be on the same level), but he had been trying. His vision blurred as all the emotions of the night came crashing down on him.

Taking a step back from a team that clearly did not want him, he watched as Kara moved to follow him, calling out his name. Shaking his head, Mon-El turned quickly, bumping into J’onn, before he rushed off at his top speed out of the DEO. He kept running until the city was far behind him, only stopping when the night sky sparkled with the stars above him. The desert sand whirled around him as he looked up toward the sky.

Alone, with no one around to hear his despair, Mon-El screamed. Falling to his knees, he felt – for the first time since landing on this planet – tears prick at his eyes for what had happened to him. His planet. His hands dug into the sand as he screamed again. Memories of his home world rushed to his mind as well as the day of it’s destruction. Mon-El had been pushing the knowledge of his planet’s death behind him, not wanting to face that pain. Now, though, he let the anger and despair of his planet dying overcome him finally. For all his people. His family and friends.

Their deaths crashed down on him as he heard Kara’s words echo in his mind. Her agreement with James. She knew he wasn’t a hero. All he was was a prince with no world or people to serve. A world and people he had let burn without him. A people whom he had abandoned to save his own life. As he screamed, he started to feel a burning sensation at the back of his eyes. His scream though turned to a sob as his thoughts turned to his parents. His parents, the King and Queen, who had been looking for him for over thirty years. The only thing left of his home world. To know that he wasn’t alone anymore, that he wasn’t the last of Daxam, brought a flurry of emotions within him. To see his parents were still alive had been enough to immobilize him, to know that they were looking for him had brought a feeling of home he had been missing since landing on this planet. One he had started to find with Kara again. He had felt that stir of something whenever he was with her. Safety and calmness. Serenity at its finest.

Mon-El’s body shook violently as he let everything he had been bottling in since he had woken up on Earth be released. He wanted all the pain he was feeling to be taken away. Just like when his mother would soothe his pain away when he was a young boy after a bad fall. As if she could hear his thoughts, he felt a hand come down on his shoulder. Looking up, he watched as his mother sank to her knees before him. “Mom?”

Brushing his hair back, she smiled at. “I’m here, Lar. I’m here.”

As she embraced him, Mon-El sobbed again. While he and his parents never saw eye to eye on many matters, he still loved them dearly. To have his mother in front of him now though. It was overwhelming. “I thought I lost you. I thought I was alone.”

Shushing him softly, she ran a hand through his hair. “Everything will be alright. We found you now. I’ve got you.”

Mon-El let her hug him for a few more moments before he pulled away. She wiped at his tears, as he asked, “Where’s father? Is he alright?”

His mother’s face turned into a scowl as she said, “He is healing from his wound. That Kryptonian has many allies at her disposal. We will deal with them in due time. First, he wishes to see you.”

Mon-El frowned at her words. “Deal with? What are you going to do?”

Shaking her head, she stood and gently pulled him to his feet. “All in due time, my son. Your father wishes to see you. Come.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to edit this a little bit more since we learned a little bit more about how Mon-El feels about his parents. Remember also that in this story no one knows that these two are dating.
> 
> Also, I should have warned you all that this isn't a happy family reunion story. Sorry if I got some of your hopes up! I didn't mean to.
> 
> Lastly, this is the suit I pictured when for Mon-El: http://tsbranch.deviantart.com/art/Monel-422860132

_True love is selfless. It is prepared to sacrifice. - **Sadhu Vaswani**_

Mon-El stood with his mother in front of the spaceship as it uncloaked. The doors slid open as his mother stepped forward. Following her, Mon-El watched as each servant they passed by bowed. Entering what he could only assume was the medical bay, he saw his father sitting up as a healer tended to his wound. However, upon their entrance, the King looked up and motioned for the healer to stop. Stepping toward Mon-El, the King spoke, “My son.”

Mon-El’s heart was racing. Fear engulfed him as well as something he had not expected. He wanted to run away from this man, but he also knew that he was still his father. The man that raised him and gave him anything he had ever desired when it came to material things. While they never agreed on matters pertaining to their kingdom, Mon-El knew that his father did love him in his own special way.

Out of ingrained duty, Mon-El went down to one knee and bowed his head. Even the Prince needed to know who was his King, he had learnt that the hard way at a very young age. He tensed when his father moved forward and grabbed his arm. Being yanked up, he wasn’t expecting the hug he was gifted. His arms slack by his side, Mon-El didn’t know how to respond. His shock slowly wore off as he finally asked, “How did you survive the destruction of Daxam?”

His mother brushed the back of his head as she told him, “We almost didn’t. If it wasn’t for Telos Ur and those under his command, we would have died with our planet as well. One of his men looked for you, but we feared the worst when neither he nor you came. It was only after we received message from your own personal guard about your escape that we started to search for you. It took us years, but we finally found the ion trail from that Kryptonian pod. We’ve been looking for you ever since.”

His father gripped the back of his neck as he pulled away, smiling widely. “And now we’ve found you.”

Mon-El faked a smile, wondering what them finding him meant. He truly did love his parents, they gave him life and a home. However, he stopped liking them as he grew older and could see what they allowed and condoned. His heart sped up in fear as he asked, “What will you do now that you’ve found me?”

The King’s hand slid down to Mon-El’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly as he told him, “Now, we start anew. Enough of our people have survived the destruction, we can start over. Just as our forefathers had done when arriving on Daxam. First, we need to rid this planet of any threat to our people.”

Frowning at those words, Mon-El took a step back out of his father’s grip. “What threats?”

His mother scowled as she said, “That Kryptonian for starters and any ally that stands in our way.”

Mon-El felt his heart drop at their words. Not Kara. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t let them harm her. He would sacrifice his own well-being for her. “Why do we need to start over here? This world is already established with a large population. Why not start over on another planet? Somewhere we would be welcomed.”

His own father frowned at Mon-El, the King seeing that his son was still strong-willed about the lives of others. “Why do you care?” On think about it, he realized quickly that his son had been working _with_ the Kryptonian. His anger blazed as he grabbed Mon-El’s arm tightly “Why _were_ you with that Kryptonian? Have you betrayed your people so quickly and sided with her?”

Mon-El gasped in pain as his father’s bruising grip tightened on his arm. However, he would not cower on this matter. If Kara had shown him one thing, it was that one had to stand up and fight for what was right, even in the face of fear. “She was the one who found me when I landed here. She is a good person. A good Kryptonian.”

Angered clouded the King’s vision as he slapped his son across the face. He watched as Mon-El fell to the ground, blood trickling from his lip. Chest heaving in rage, he told his son, “There are no _good_ Kryptonians. Their greed is what destroyed both our worlds. They only care about themselves. I will make sure that every last one of them is dead for what they did.”

Mon-El wiped the blood from his mouth before he pushed himself up. “It wasn’t her fault. We shared a star, that’s it. She isn’t to blame for what happened.”

The King could see that his son felt deeply on the matter and knew that he would not yield quietly like many times before. Looking toward his wife, he started to form a plan. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at Mon-El and said, “I can see that I will not be able to change your mind.” At Mon-El’s affirmative response, the King went on, “Very well. I will make a deal with you, come with us willingly and I will not harm this world. We will do as you suggested and start anew somewhere else. If you don’t, then I will destroy this world and everyone you seem so attached to.” Taking a step back, he watched as Mon-El looked at him suspiciously. Raising his hand in a show of innocence, he told him, “All I want is my son back. I am tired of fighting with you. I will give you until the sun sets to make your decision.”

Mon-El didn’t know what he should think. His father was not one to step back from a fight. However, he also knew that his father always honored his word. Mon-El didn’t know what he should do, but he did know he was going to take the time he had been given to form a plan. Bowing his head, he told his father, “I will give you my answer before then.”

As he turned his back to leave, his father’s voice rang from behind. “Just know, if you come with us, you will never speak out against anything I decree again. My word will be law with no hindrance from you. Is that clear?”

Mon-El let his eyes close at those words. “I understand.” Stepping out of the ship, he looked toward the horizon and saw the sun starting to rise. He had much he needed to think on.

* * *

After a few hours of roaming the city, Mon-El finally entered the DEO. Looking around, he wondered if it would be for the last time. As always, he went unnoticed and made his way to what used to be his bunk. While he didn’t have much to take with him, there was one thing that was precious to him. Moving toward his locker, he opened it. His clothes he would leave behind, however he looked at the one picture that he had. Alex had taken it with her cell phone at some point when they were at the bar. He doesn’t remember what he had told her to make her laugh, but Kara’s head was thrown back as one of her hands gripped his arm. She was beautiful. His light and hope in a sea of darkness.

Taking it down, Mon-El slipped it into his jacket pocket. Closing his locker, he looked around the room again, before turning to leave. He stopped short though when he saw Winn standing in the doorway, holding what appeared to be a large briefcase. The last time he had seen him was the previous night. After walking in on that conversation he was never meant to hear. Clearing his throat, Mon-El scratched at his cheek. “Hey.”

Winn tried to smile at his friend. However, he could still see the hurt in the man’s eyes and knew that nothing he said could cover up what James had said last night. “Hey, I, uh, look. Last night, emotions were high and a lot was said that I’m sure people regret. You know that, right?”

He didn’t, but it didn’t matter. “Yeah, of course, and you know, maybe they are right. Maybe this isn’t for me.” Looking down at the floor, Mon-El shrugged, “Maybe I’m not meant to be a hero.” Clearing his throat again, Mon-El started to walk forward, hoping to avoid anymore conversation. “I’ll see you later.”

He had just passed him, when Winn spoke up. “Uh, well, if you ever change your mind, I have something for you.” Stopping short, Mon-El turned to look at Winn. Lifting the briefcase, Winn explained, “I put the finishing touches on it this morning. I hope you like it. It’s, uh, it’s bulletproof. You know, with your lead allergy, don’t want you dying on us, right?” His humor fell flat, so he rushed ahead, opening the case for Mon-El to looking inside. “Right. I know you can’t fly, but I’m sure your leaping jumps could use help. The cape will help with your aerodynamics, learnt that from Kara. Anyways, what do you think?”

Mon-El looked down at the suit in front of him. The only word he could think of to describe his feeling was humbled. After everything that Winn was a witness to, he still finished the suit for him. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, his voice was hoarse as he said, “It’s great. Thanks.”

“Well, try it on. Make sure I got all your measurements right.” Nodding once, Mon-El took the case from Winn before heading back into the bunk room to change. Stripping and dressing quickly, he stepped into view of Winn. He felt unworthy to wear a superhero suit. He didn’t deserve the honor. Looking down at himself, Mon-El didn’t see the bright smile on Winn’s face. “Oh man, the ladies will be throwing themselves at you even more now.”

Mon-El was still looking down at himself, Winn’s words half registering to him. “Yeah.”

Winn’s smile fell, concern covering his face. He had never seen Mon-El look so depressed before. Mon-El was always the one to make everyone else laugh or smile when needed. “Hey, you okay?”

Looking up, Mon-El put on his best fake smile, banishing his thoughts to the back of his mind. “Yeah. It fits perfect. Thank you, Winn. I should probably take it off though.”

Winn stopped him though as he said, “Why don’t you wear it underneath your clothes? You know, like Kara and Superman. Seems easier to go into superhero mode that way, right?”

“Right. Yeah.” Swallowing again around the lump in his throat, Mon-El slipped his clothes on over his new suit, flipping the collar down easily beneath his shirt. He was thankful he had decided to wear long-sleeves as he thanked Winn again.

Winn watched as Mon-El waved goodbye before calling out, “I’ll see you later.” His concern for the alien grew when he only got a wave and nod in return. Mon-El had just turned the corner when he heard Kara call out his name. Turning around, he smiled at his friend. “Hey, what’s up?”

Kara looked into the bunk room, before looking at Winn. “Have you seen Mon-El? He didn’t come…I haven’t seen him since last night. I’m starting to get worried.”

Pointing behind him, Winn told her, “Oh, you just missed him. Actually…” Looking behind Winn, Kara sighed in relief before rushing off, shouting a thanks as Winn finished to no one in particular, “I just gave him his suit.”

She rushed forward, praying to Rao that she would catch him. When she caught sight of him as he walked down the hallway, she sent up a prayer of thanks. “Mon-El!” She continued forward as he stopped, his shoulders tensing at her voice. She stopped just behind him, a few feet separating them. Speak softly, so no one could overhear her words, Kara said, “I’ve been worried about you. When you didn’t show up last night…Mon-El what you heard, it’s not…”

Mon-El let his eyes slide shut at her words. He wasn’t ready for this conversation. Not yet. Not when he still needed to prepare his heart. Shaking his head, Mon-El turned to look at Kara. “It’s okay.” Kara began to relax at his words, however she tensed again when he went on. “James is right. I’m no hero. I was never meant to be.”

Kara’s brow furrowed at his words, her heart constricting briefly. However, his face made her move forward, quickly closing the distance between them. He looked exhausted, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and he was ready to give out underneath it all. “That’s not true.”

Mon-El saw in her eyes how much she believed her own words. He wanted to believe them too. Yet, he was floundering in his sea of doubt. “How do you know that? I wasn’t raised with the same values as you, Kara. Maybe…maybe I can’t change. Not where it matters.”

Kara sucked in a sharp breath at the emotions that played across Mon-El’s face. She was not used to men being so open with their feelings and emotions. Looking around, Kara knew that she wanted more privacy for this conversation. Grasping his hand, she tugged softly as she moved toward the one place she knew would be empty. The containment area.

J’onn had reinforced all the cells to withstand both Kryptonian and Martian strength recently and since they hadn’t had a need to detain anyone, they were empty. It just so happened, that it was in one of these cells she knew Mon-El would become a superhero.

Letting the door slide shut behind them, Kara looked at Mon-El before tugging him forward again. She spoke softly as they made it toward the holding cell, it’s door left open in it’s unoccupied state. “It was in here that I started to change my mind about you.” Looking back at him, she squeezed his hand. “After the Medusa virus was released, you were in that cell and I could see it in you. I had seen small glimpses of it before, but it was right here when I knew. I knew you were a hero. That you are a hero.”  
  
She brought her other hand to rest over his heart, as she opened up to him a little more. “Did I ever tell you about one of my first big missions.” Mon-El shook his head, enraptured by the woman before him. Laughing softly, she told him, “There was this fire by an oil rig and if I didn’t help the whole thing would blow up. I tried to blow the fire out, but I couldn’t do it. I just made it worse. So I tried to move the rig. I was able to get it away from the fire, however in my haste I caused a crack to form, spilling oil into the ocean. It was terrible. Moments like those, I had my own doubts about becoming Supergirl. I learned from them though and you will learn from your own mistakes. It’s how we get better. That is why I know you are a hero. Whatever happened last night, it was just a setback.” Bringing her hand up, Kara cupped his cheek. “I believe in you. I always will.”

Mon-El leaned into her touch, his eyes sliding shut as he clenched his jaw. Kara never ceased to amaze him. She was like magic. Leaning forward, his forehead brushed hers as he said, “I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve _you_.”

Kara’s throat tightened at his words. She knew Mon-El didn’t think of himself in high regard, especially for what he had done and allowed on Daxam. She knew, after talking with Eliza, that only time could heal that wound. All Kara could do was be there for him. Letting her hand move to thread her fingers through the hairs at the base of his neck, Kara whispered, “But you have me.” She pushed her heels off the ground, bringing her lips closer to Mon-El’s. Nuzzling her nose briefly with his, Mon-El closed the distant, kissing Kara gently.

Pulling away, Mon-El took in a deep breath as he slowly started to make a decision. He knew what path he needed to take, now he needed to protect the one person that would try to stop him. “Kara, there’s something I need to tell you.” Looking behind Kara, he motioned toward the small cot in the containment cell. “We should sit.” They both slowly made it to the cot, facing each other as they sat down. Mon-El looked at his hands before he looked up at Kara. “I don’t really know how to put this.” He scratched at his forehead briefly, before looking down again. “Those aliens we fought against last night, I know them.”

Kara’s brow furrowed at his words. “Know them, how?”

Swallowing, Mon-El pushed forward. “When I tried to help J’onn, I knocked one of them down and her face covering fell off. I…I recognized her. That’s why they got away, I froze.”

Kara grew even more confused by his words. “Who was it?”

Mon-El looked up at the ceiling briefly, as small manic laugh bubbled within him. Looking back at Kara, Mon-El finally laid bare what he found out. “My mother.”

Kara’s brows raised in shock at that. “Your mother? But how…I don’t understand.”

Mon-El stood up then, as he began to pace. “Then I saw the other one fall down and heard him cry out after he was shot him. And I knew that that was my father.”

Kara shook her head briefly as she tried to process everything that he had just told her. His parents were still alive. Other Daxamites were still alive. “What do they want? Why did they come here?”

Mon-El stopped pacing then as he looked at Kara. “Me. They want me. After I left here last night, they found me somehow. They told me that they’ve been looking for me for over thirty years. They want to start over on a new planet. Other members of their guard survived and they want to start anew.”

Kara felt her heart stutter violently at his words. How could she ask him to give up his family, a family he thought was lost to him, for her? She couldn’t. Yet, her heart moved her to speak, “You aren’t going to go, are you?”

Starting to pace again, Mon-El ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t know how to answer that. His lack of answer must have looked like an answer to Kara though because her eyes started to fill with tears. When Mon-El saw the crestfallen look cross Kara’s face, he moved to kneel before her. “I don’t want to, but I also know my parents. They are King and Queen first, above all else. If they want something, they will destroy anything in their path for it. I can’t let that happen here. I watched my world die without me, I won’t let this one die for me.”

Shaking her head, Kara told him, “We can figure something out. J’onn will know how to negotiate with them. I won’t let them take you.”

Mon-El brought his hands up, cupping Kara’s face. “If I leave, it will save this world from a far worse fate. I can’t stay.”

Kara grasped his hands as she offered one last thing. “Let me go with you. Let me talk with them, show them that they can live here peacefully.”

Something filled Mon-El’s eyes at her words, his grip on her face tightening just slightly. “No, I don’t want you anywhere near them. They…our worlds’ prejudices and hatred for one another is deeply ingrained in them. I don’t want to think about what they’ll do if they see you again. They promised to leave you alone as long as I come. To leave this world alone.”

Tears filled Kara’s eyes as she shook her head. “Is that where you were going, before I found you? Would you have even said goodbye?”

Mon-El felt tears prick at his own eyes, knowing in his heart this was a goodbye. “I was going to find you, I just needed more time to think. I needed…I needed to prepare myself to let you go. I have never felt this way for anyone before, you know that. I lost everything, a whole world and way of life. I never thought I could find a home again, not like how I felt on Daxam. But I did and it’s better than the one I had before. You are my home, Kara Zor-El. You brought hope into my life and helped me see what I could become. You made me _want_ to be a better man, not just for you but for myself. You inspire me every day. My feelings for you may make me weak, but you make me stronger than I ever thought I could be. I love you. You…you are my mate, Kara. In every way, I give myself to you. Nothing will ever change that. No amount of distance or time. You will always have my heart.”

Kara sobbed softly, shaking her head. “I won’t let them take you away. I’ll fight them for you.”

Mon-El brought their lips together, kissing her passionately. He poured his whole being into it, his final goodbye, before pulling away. “I know you will. Which is why I have to do this.” Using his super speed, Mon-El left the containment cell and locked Kara inside. Stepping away from the cell, he told her, “I’m sorry, but I won’t let another person die for me. Especially not you.”

Kara slammed her fist against the reinforced plexiglass. “Mon-El, don’t do this! Let me help you.”

Shaking his head, Mon-El spoke the most final of all goodbyes in his language. “Beyalat Daxam, Kara Zor-El.”

He was gone in the next instance and Kara screamed as she slammed her fists into the glass. She used all the strength she had as she tried to break out of the cell. A few more minutes passed as she continued to try to break out. She heard alarms blaring as she slammed into the glass again. She unleashed her heat vision just as Alex came running into the room with J’onn and several other DEO agents. “Kara!”

She wouldn't listen though as she continued to use her heat vision in effort to break out. Alex quickly moved to unlock the door, a hissing sound filling the air as it opened. Kara fell to her knees, realizing that she was too late. He was gone. Alex approached her, asking softly, “Kara, what happened?”

She had risked opening herself to him, letting herself be vulnerable. The past few months had been everything she could ever hope for. She had been the happiest she’d ever been. She finally found her mate. Love had found her. Looking up at her sister, tears rolled down her cheeks. “He’s gone.”

Dropping down next to her, Alex pulled her younger sister into a hug. “Who is?” Kara started to hug Alex tightly, realizing at the last moment she couldn’t use her full strength. Another sobbed ripped through her as she realized another thing she had just lost. To love as fully as she could. Alex ran her hand over Kara’s back as she whispered, “What is it? Talk to me.”

Taking in a slow shuddering breath, Kara started to reign in her emotions. Letting her Supergirl persona set in place. “Mon-El…he left. The hostile aliens, they're his parents. He left to go with them.”

 

* * *

Mon-El stood before his parents, his heartbroken for the greatest cause he could think of. Pulling on his mask, the Prince of Daxam stood before his King and Queen. “I will come with you.”

Smiling, his father stood. “Excellent. This world will bow before us once we vanquish our enemies that stand in our way.”

Mon-El’s brow furrowed as he shook his head. “No, that was not our agreement. You promised me that earth would be unharmed.”

A booming laugh left his father as the man stepped forward. “Son, did you really think I would leave a world where we are like gods? These humans will bow before us, willingly or by force.”

Anger filled Mon-El as stepped forward, his face just a few inches from his father’s. “I won’t let you.”

“You will have no say in the matter.” Nodding his head at the guards behind Mon-El, the King watched as they moved forward. As they took hold of Mon-El’s arms, he told his son, “Together we will rule this world as we had on Daxam.” Mon-El started to struggled against the guards, fighting to be released. Looking at the guards, the King told them, “Take him to the holding cell. I have other business to deal with.” The doors slid open, revealing a high-ranking Dominator.

Mon-El felt his heart sink as he saw the alien. “No, don’t do this. Father, stop!” His heart plummeted when his father dismissed the guards, signaling them to silence his son. Mon-El felt something hit him in the back of the head before he was knocked out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making a lot of shout outs in this chapter to the comic-verse. So many. Too many maybe, but I just don't care. Also, I truly believe that emotions play a part in when powers manifest. Which means, for me, that one can hinder their powers from showing if they aren't fully ready to feel everything they should feel. This is the route I've taken for Mon-El and the explanation I am using for why he wasn't able to use all his powers. Also, you guys might hate me for the ending. Sorry.

_"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." **\- Joseph Campbell**_

Kara listened as J’onn ordered Winn to scan for any sign of the Daxamite spaceship. She stood stoic, feeling drained. Her heart still hurt over her lose. She knew that Winn wouldn’t find it. Mon-El was no doubt long gone with his family. She caught sight of James as he walked up to the group. She tried to smile as he said, “Hey, I was just checking in to see if you were able to make any progress with the invaders.”

Kara felt her eyes start to sting from tears again. Looking down, she cleared her throat. “It’s, uh, it’s been taken care of. We’re just scanning to make sure they left.”

James’ brows furrowed in confusion. “Just like that? How did you do that?”

Alex came up to them then, having heard the tail-end of the conversation. She knew that Kara was still struggling with what had just happened. What Mon-El had done. “Mon-El negotiated terms with them.”

James snorted in disbelief. “Really? Mon-El?”

Alex saw Kara flinch at James’ words. Setting her eyes on James, ice running through her veins, she said, “Yes, he did. They were his parents and they’ve been searching for him since Daxam’s death. If he went with them, they would leave. So, he went with them.”

James’ was about to say something when Winn stammered out in surprise and concern, “Uh, guys. We, we have a big problem.” Pointing toward the screen, everyone saw a large ship converging toward their world.

J’onn stepped toward the screen as he said, “What the hell is going on?” Turning toward Kara, he spoke to her, “I thought Mon-El said they would leave if he went with them. Not attack!”

Kara moved forward, confusion evident on her face. “He did.”

James spoke up from behind everyone, shaking his head as he said, “He tricked you Kara. Can’t you see that. He made you believe him.”

Kara’s voice shook as she defended Mon-El. “No, he didn’t.”

James moved forward, his anger at her blind trust boiling over. “When will you finally see that he isn’t a good guy? Why can’t you just admit when you’re wrong?”

Alex tried to step in, however Kara brushed her aside as her voice rose in volume. “Because I know Mon-El! He…he wouldn’t lie to me. Not about this.” Kara knew that the only way this would happen would be if something happened to him. Looking at J’onn, she said, “He must have been taken captive. He wouldn’t let this happen. You know that.”

J’onn turned back to look at the screens as he rubbed at his chin in contemplation. Sighing heavily, he spoke solemnly, “I can’t let my own emotions cloud what is best for this city. We need to prepare to attack.”

Kara felt like shouting and crying all at once. Stepping back from the group, she said, “Fine, but I know Mon-El. The only way he would let this happen is if…if he couldn’t stop it himself. I need to find him.”

Alex moved forward, trying to stop her sister. “Kara, wait.”

Turning around, Kara was about to tell Alex that she couldn’t stop her. However, Alex’s eyes widened briefly before she felt the DEO headquarters building shake. Debris flew through the air as Kara turned to see the Daxamite spaceship attacking the building. Another blast ripped through the main hub of the DEO, killing several agents and throwing the remaining to their backs. Kara had put herself in front of Alex, protecting her sister from any harm. As they both got up, brushing dust from their clothes, they looked around as smoke filled the air. J’onn helped Winn up as James went to help some other agents, checking for any injuries. Looking back at the ship, Kara saw that it was about to shoot again. Quickly, she flew at it, slamming into it at full force. It jolted with the impact, setting it off it’s trajectory. Using her heat vision, Kara took out one of it’s engines, forcing the ship to land on the ground.

Kara was about to fly down toward the ship as it crashed when she saw something flying toward her. She didn’t have enough time to react before she was thrown back into a nearby building from the impact. Quickly, she shot back toward the ship and the one who attacked her. He hovered in midair, shouting loudly, “A new reign has fallen on this world. Comply and you will be spared. Fight against us and we will not show you mercy. The choice is yours.”

Kara shouted back at him, “This is not your world to command.” Turning to face her, he sneered at the sight of her. Kara knew instantly that this was Mon-El’s father. Her voice hardened as she drifted closer to him, “I will not let you harm it.”

He snarled at her, “It will bring me great pleasure to kill you, Kryptonian.”

They both moved forward at the same time, meeting in the middle with thrown fists. Kara grunted in pain as she felt his fist hit her ribs, however her punched landed squarely in his face. It sent him flying down toward the ground. She flew after him, landing in the crater he created on impact. Straddling his form, she grabbed hold of his shirt and started to punch him several times. She could see in her peripheral that several DEO agents, along with her sister and J’onn were already fighting against the other Daxamites. She even saw James in his Guardian gear trying to get as many civilians away from the fight as possible. She was about to punch him again when she felt the blast of heat vision hit her squarely in the chest. She flew backwards, shock stunning her briefly. She stumbled to her feet as the King laughed menacingly. “I should have known my weak-willed son wouldn’t possess all the powers possible to him. He always let his emotions get the better of him. Get in the way of greatness. Pathetic really.” Moving forward, he pulled out a dagger. As the setting sun hit the blade, green glinted in the air. Kara gasped in pain as she looked at the dagger, seeing it was made from Kryptonite.

Stumbling back, Kara huffed out, “What did you do to Mon-El? Where is he?”

“My son is being dealt with. He will soon see that there is no choice in the matter. I will rule this world.” Raising his hand, the King back-handed Kara in the face, sending her down to her knees. The King snarled at her as he moved toward her. He grabbed her hair and held her down as he raised the dagger in the air. “This is a remnant of your world. The world that destroyed mine. Now, I will use it to kill you, you Kryptonian scum.”

* * *

Mon-El woke as the ship jolted violently, looking down he saw he was handcuffed with what appeared to be the same handcuffs the mad scientist used on him when he had gone to find Livewire. Groaning, he looked around the cell before he pushed himself to his feet. He looked at the bars encaging him before he took a running start at them. However, he didn’t even leave a dent as he bounced back from the force. “Nth metal, of course.” Looking at the handcuffs, Mon-El prayed to Rao and Sard that he could withstand the pain. Using all his strength, he tried to break the cuffs. He screamed in agony, falling to his knee as he pushed through it. However, it didn’t break. He only stopped though when his mother entered the room with two guards. Pointing toward the handcuffs, she told him, “The Dominators were able to grab a few interesting tidbits from some high-ranking military personnel that they captured. That was one of them.” Motioning toward the guards, she said, “Grab him. It’s time to conquer this planet.”

She left the guards to grab Mon-El as she went to join her husband to attack the city. Struggling to his feet, Mon-El tried to fight against them. They had more training then him though and they easily overpowered him. Dragging him outside, Mon-El looked on in horror at the remnants of the DEO headquarters. Rubble litter the streets as smoke clouded the air. Injured victims cried out for help as others lay dead in the streets.

He watched as his father fought Kara as several agents with J'onn and James fought against even more members of the royal guard. His mother joined the fight against J’onn, knowing of his one weakness. She moved quickly, at super speed as she set a large fire ablaze surrounding J’onn and Alex before sending a blast from her gun toward James. His shield took the brunt of the blast, but he flew back into the DEO building on impact.

Shifting his gaze back, Mon-El watched as his father withdrew a green dagger just before back handing Kara in the face. Mon-El knew instantly what it was. Green kryptonite.

Mon-El shouted at his father as he struggled against the guards, “No, stop!”

His father looked at him, anger blazing in his steely eyes. Dagger poised to kill, he said, “It’s time to choose. I will not keep you prisoner any longer. Stand with us, claim your birthright to rule this world, my son. At our command, the Dominators will cleanse this world of the alien scum that stand in our way. We will rid it of the retched Kryptonians that destroyed our own world. Starting with this one.” Mon-El watched as his father grabbed Kara by her hair again, yanking her head back as the green kryptonite held in his father’s hand weakened her to almost a mere mortal. “Or stand against us and suffer with them.”

Mon-El looked toward Kara and saw she had no fear in her eyes. She was willing to die for her world. Her family. A family, not of blood, but one she chose to call her own. Now he had to choose. The family and people who he had thought was lost to him forever, his own father and mother, or one that he had thought he had formed on Earth. A family that he knew saw him at best as an annoyance and at worst as an enemy, with Kara being the exception.

Looking around, he watched as Alex dragged J’onn away from the fire, several agents working with her to clear a path, as Winn helped James back up. All around him, DEO agents helped their fellow members stand ready to fight for their world. This is what it meant to be a family. While Mon-El may never become a part of this one fully, he knew as he looked around, he would protect it. He saw the humanity in the people around him and the unity. Mon-El knew that what his parents planned for this planet would tear that fabric apart. Anger filled his veins as he thought back to all he had witnessed his parents do and allow under their reign. The slavery. The unjust killings. The hatred that filled so many. While earth was far from perfect and hatred still ran through some, he had seen how just the smallest glimmer of hope could change someone. He had seen it happen within himself. Mon-El _had_ changed. He could finally see that. Feel it.

His father must have seen his answer in his eyes, because he clenched his jaw tightly. “So be it. You will die along side them.” Mon-El watched as his father placed the dagger against Kara’s throat. “Your precious Kryptonian will be the first one I kill today.”

Mon-El felt something shift within him as he finally accepted who he was and what he was becoming. As anger and fear blazed through his veins, he felt a fire ignite in his eyes as he shouted out, “No!” Heat vision blasted from his eyes, sending his father crashing back into the DEO headquarters. Stunned for only a brief moment, he used his heat vision on his own restraints, breaking loss easily. He quickly dispatched the two guards next to him before rushing forward. Grabbing the kryptonite dagger, the last remnant of Krypton, he threw it as far as his strength would allow him. Turning back to Kara, he was about to help her up when his father slammed into him. He grabbed Mon-El by the throat as he flew through the air and up into the sky.

Kara was about to fly after them when the Queen of Daxam grabbed her by her cape and pulled her back down. Shouting at her fellow Daxamites and the few Dominators with her, she told them, “Leave no one here alive!” The Dominators sent out a message, calling for more as they swarmed the city, attacking agents and civilians ruthlessly. Alex used her alien gun against any Dominator between her and her sister as she made her way to Kara. She knew of the only thing that could stop the Queen for good and it was strapped to her leg.

Up in the air, Mon-El struggled against his father as the King shouted at him, “You chose a Kryptonian over your own family!” Rearing his arm back, the King punched Mon-El sending him flying through the air. Mon-El felt the rush of the wind as he fell toward earth, his father’s words cutting deeply. “You betrayed your people for a race that will never accept you, that will forever hate you!” He punched Mon-El again as he shouted, “You are not my son!”

Mon-El’s body created a crater as he landed on the outskirts of National City. He groaned in pain as his father looked down on him, landing gently on his feet. Disgust covered his features as he spat out, “Once we take over this world, I will ensure that instead of her being killed, I will enslave that Kryptonian scum you call a friend. Just as we should have done many centuries ago. Her and all the remaining of this world.”

His father knew how much he hated slavery. How much they had argued over that as he grew up. His anger fueled him once more as he used his new found power. As his eyes alighted with his heat vision, he sent his father flying toward National City once more. Crouching low, he jumped into the air and shot toward him. This time, it was different though. The air around him crackled with an energy he hadn’t felt before. He felt lighter as the air rushed past him. He drew closer and closer to his father and knew then in that moment he was flying. Screaming out in anger, Mon-El finally reached his father and wrapped his arms around the man’s midsection. He drove them into the ground, asphalt crumbling beneath them as Mon-El shouted, “You will not hurt anyone anymore. I won’t let you.”

Mon-El felt a blast of his father’s heat vision, causing him to fly back into the air. He stopped himself though midair as the King said, “You cannot stop me.” With that he turned his heat vision on National City. Mon-El heard the screams of it’s citizens as both Dominator and fellow Daxamite, as well as his own father attacked them.

He watched briefly as James, J’onn, and the DEO fought to protect it’s people along side with the NCPD. He saw Kara fighting against his own mother, as her cousin suddenly came flying down from the sky and joined the fight. Three members of the royal guard leapt in to defend their queen. A battle once again between Daxamite and Kryptonian. Mon-El could finally see what his kind truly were. Monsters. And he would put a stop to their tyranny. As he flew toward his father, he used his heat vision against any Dominator in his path. Mon-El then slammed his shoulder into him, sending the man into the ground, before coming up from behind him and wrapping his arm around his neck. Mon-El begged one last time, not wanting to do what he knew had to be done. “Just stop, please. Our world is dead, let our customs die with it.”

“Never.” The King aimed his heat vision toward a straight path to Kara, taking out several DEO agents in its wake.

Mon-El cried out as he recalled what his uncle, a mighty warrior on his planet, once taught him. He twisted his father’s neck until he heard the telltale snapping sound. He watched as the King’s body fell down to the ground, lifeless, his neck broken. He took a staggering step back as he heard his mother’s cry of sorrow. She was next to her husband’s dead body a second later, cradling him against her chest. Looking up at her son, she snarled, “They’ve turned you into a monster!”

Shaking his head, he told her. "No, our people are the monsters. We always have been. For the first time, I can finally see that.”

Standing up, she shouted in rage, “You killed your own father!” She raised her weapon at him then, tears filling her eyes as she said, “You have committed the highest form of treason, Lar Gand. I hereby sentence you to death.”

Mon-El took a step forward, readying to implore to his mother, when a gunshot rang out. He watched in horror as a bullet ripped through his mother’s right side of her chest, straight through her heart. Rushing forward, he caught her as she fell down. She gasped out in pain, looking up at her son. Mon-El let his tears fall, pain constricting his heart as he had to lose his parents again.

As she took in her last breath, Mon-El whispered to her, “I’m sorry.” He looked up toward where the shot had come from and saw Alex standing there, gun lowered by her leg, before she drew her other weapon and started shooting at more Dominators. Kara was in the distance, fighting several members of the royal guard still, alongside her cousin. Standing, he gently placed his mother’s body next to his father. He looked around as the Dominators and the last remnant of Daxam continued to fight to take over the planet.

All of this was his doing. This destruction and death surrounding him. His and his people. He knew exactly what he needed to do to stop it. Tearing off his shredded clothes, Mon-El looked down at the suit he had worn beneath them. He didn’t know how Winn did it, but he had chosen a deep red that matched the color of the Royal House of Gand. Yellow outlined the cuffs on his wrists. His cape flapped in the wind, the deep royal blue a sign of courage and integrity on his world. Gently he pushed off the ground, adjusting slightly as he tried to get used to flying. He smiled briefly, amazed at his new power before he flew over the battle. He spoke loudly and evenly, with an authority bred into him from birth. “I, Lar Gand, reigning King of Daxam, order you to stand down.”

He watched as the remaining Daxamites, one by one, stopped fighting. He could tell a message was sent out as each and every Dominator stopped attacking the city, as well. Gliding down, Mon-El looked at his people. They moved as one, coming to stand before him as they saw their previous rulers dead bodies in the distance. Bending down on one knee, they all bowed their heads low as Mon-El’s feet finally touched the ground. Looking behind them, he saw Kara looking at him, her mouth opened the slightest bit in shock. Her eyes though sparkled with pride.

Looking down to his people, Mon-El spoke to them in their mother tongue, “Our world is gone. So let our customs die with it as well.” At his words, many looked up at him, pain evident for the death of their world on their faces. “I know the pain you feel for its death. But I am offering you a chance to live in peace on this world. Free from our old prejudices and a rule that was severely flawed. I have lived among the people of earth for only a short time. While it is not perfect, I know you can form a home here. Today, I relinquish you of your duties to serve the Royal Family. I stand before you, not as your king, but as an ally and friend. You are all free men and women.”

Each Daxamite looked toward each other, coming to a silent consensus. Mon-El recognized the head of the guard, Telos Ur, as he stood up. He stepped toward Mon-El and offered him his arm. Mon-El grasped it as Telos said, “You have grown since I last saw you on Daxam. It will be an honor to work alongside you, my Lord.”

The remaining Daxamites stood up as Mon-El turned to face the Dominators. He spoke loudly as he told them, “You will leave this planet immediately. You will not harm the inhabitants of this world for the remainder of it’s existence.”

The Dominator spoke in its mother language to Mon-El, “This planet is overrun with enhanced life forms. They must be eradicated. Including you.” The Dominator spoke to its fellow Dominators as it said, “Attack!”

Mon-El unleashed his heat vision on those near him as Kara and Clark use their heat vision to continue to defend National City. Alex and J’onn worked in tandem together as Guardian fought alongside the NCPD. Telos and the remaining Daxamites joined the fight, battling to protect the earth. As the fight continued, Mon-El noticed that more Dominators were sent down from the mothership hovering over them. Looking up, he watched as a dozen more were sent down. Shouting to Telos, he said, “We need to make them retreat.” Pointing up, he said, “We can do that by attacking their ship.” Telos nodded at his plan, calling for his fellow Daxamites to take to the air.

Mon-El was about to fly up to the ship when he heard Kara’s shout of warning. Turning around he watched as a Dominator fell to the ground, Kara standing right behind it. Stepping forward she watched Mon-El push off the ground, hovering just a few feet in the air. “I guess you _can_ fly?”

Looking down, Mon-El smiled as he laughed. “I guess I can. Seems like I just needed the right motivation to use it.”

Kara flew up to be eye level with him as he looked toward Telos and the rest of the guard, as they awaited his orders. She looked up at them too as she asked, “What are they doing?”

Looking back at Kara, she saw how serious he looked. It reminded her of Clark when he was in Superman-mode. He told her, “We’re going to attack their ship and hope it will prompt them to retreat.”

Looking at the fight around them, Kara could see that her friends and family fought back valiantly. She knew they would win, she could feel it in her blood. “I’ll go with you.”

Mon-El shook his head as he started to ascend higher, with Kara moving along with him. “You’re needed down here. If something goes wrong, Earth will need you to protect it.”

Kara didn’t like the sound of that. However, she knew that Mon-El was right. She looked at him, his cape flapping in the wind behind him, and she knew in her heart that she loved him. That he was her mate. She acted on her feelings, she grabbed Mon-El by his suit and she flew up to him. Closing her eyes, she titled her head and kissed him with everything she had. He was stunned at first, before he let his hand slip into her hair letting his fingers tangle into her strands. He deepened the kiss, fisting her hair gently as they soared higher in the air. They both pulled away, noses nuzzling briefly before Mon-El looked into her eyes. “Kara?”

She looked at him, her eyes shimmering with love and pride. She didn’t want to say goodbye. It felt too final. She didn’t want this to be the end. Not when they just started. “For luck. Just for luck. Now go be the hero I always knew you were.”

They separated as Mon-El slowly drifted up higher into the air as Kara descended to fight for her world on the ground. Smiling one last time at her, Mon-El turned to face the ship shooting up into the air. He stopped next to Telos, speaking to all before him, “We need to get into the ship and force their hand. Make them retreat.”

Telos spoke for all as he said, “Your Majesty, you know that the Dominators will not give in easily. They will only come back with more reinforcements. It is their way.”

Nodding, Mon-El already had a plan forming. “I know. I will handle that.” Looking down he saw a dozen more get beamed down to join the attack. “We need to hurry.” Mon-El, with his fellow Daxamites, moved as one as the flew high into the air. Using their heat vision, they blasted holes into ship, giving them access. Flying inside, they attacked immediately, taking as many down as they could. Moving through the corridors, they slowly started to make it toward the command center. They were already halfway there, Mon-El punching another Dominator, when they felt the ship jerk.

They watched as the Dominators before them retreated down the hall toward their resting pods. Telos, along with his fellow guard, shouted in triumph. “They are retreating, we’ve done it!”

Mon-El looked down another corridor, that one leading to the engine room. He remembered it from the one time his parents had brought him onboard the Dominator ship as a young boy. Looking toward Telos, he told them, “I want you to leave now. Go back down to earth. I know it will be hard, but you can trust the Kryptonians. They are good people who will protect you. Kara…she is…everything that you could hope for.”

Telos smiled, as he saw love shine plainly in Mon-El’s eyes. “She is your mate.”

Laughing softly, Mon-El nodded. “Yes, she is.”

“Then she is our Queen.” Taking a step forward, Telos questioned, “Your Majesty, what about you?”

Mon-El took a step toward the engine room as he told him, “I need to make sure these Dominators will never return. There’s only one way to do that.” Looking around at the ship before them, he continued, “They need to be destroyed.”

Telos shook his head as he reached a hand out. “I will go with you. We all will.”

Mon-El smiled at them, his heart warmed by their loyalty. Taking another step back, he didn’t accept the bond of brotherhood. Not this time. “As I told you earlier, it’s time for you to live as a free people. Let only the good of Daxam live through you. Embrace your new lives and enjoy it to the full.”

Telos took a step toward Mon-El as he implored, “You cannot do this alone.”

Mon-El smiled ruefully. “But I have to.” Lifting his chin, his inborn royalty shining through, Mon-El told them, “I order you, as your King, to leave now.”

Telos clenched his jaw, his heart telling him to stay but his duty to his King telling him to obey. Taking a step back, he spoke softly, “Beyalat Daxam.” Bowing his head once, the rest followed suit. At Mon-El’s acknowledgement, Telos ordered his fellow Daxamites to retreat. Using their super speed, they left through the holes they created just before the ship left Earth’s atmosphere.

Mon-El felt the ship jolt just the slightest bit as it left Earth. He had just a few more minutes before they would go into hyperdrive. Walking down the hallway, he thought back on his life. Not the one on Daxam, but the one on Earth. He thought of everything that had happened and he knew now that this was why he survived. He didn’t deserve to have survived Daxam’s death, but he knew that this death, his sacrifice, would save millions, even billions of lives throughout the galaxies. This death would have meaning.

Turning down the last hall, he looked at the doors at the end of it. The hallway was long enough for him to form a good momentum to bring the highest impact. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Slowly breathing out, Mon-El thought of the one person that changed him forever. Her brilliant blue eyes came to mind. Her smile warmed his heart. The way she laughed, freely and openly. The way she loved him, both with her body and her soul. Still, the one thing that shined the brightest in his mind was her spirit. Her spirit to give of herself with everything she had, not a thought to her own well-being. He hoped, prayed to Sard and Rao, that she would find someone else to look after her. Be there for her in her moments of need. Be the voice of reason when her heart led her blind. Love all of her, like she deserved.

He heard the engine start to fire up and knew it was now or never. It was his only chance. Taking a running start, he flew down the hall unleashing his heat vision to weaken the doors. Bursting through them with minimal effort, he surged forward, flying directly into the core reactor. The last thing that crossed his mind as he felt the heat of the explosion was the image of Kara as she had looked at him just before their second kiss. That’s how he wanted to remember her. Happy.

* * *

Kara was about to unleash her heat vision again when suddenly the Dominators started to run away, being beamed back up into their spaceship. Her heart soared as she watched the ship start to leave. Looking at everyone around her, she smiled brightly. Speaking to no one in particular, she said, “They did it. They’re retreating.”

Cheers filled the streets, hugs being offered as the fight for their planet was won. Kara hugged J’onn and Clark tightly before moving toward her sister. They hugged for a long moment before Kara turned to look at the sky. She spotted the group of Daxamites flying quickly toward them and an even bigger smiled split her face. Moving forward, Alex right behind her, Kara watched as several Daxamites landed before them.

Looking around, she searched for Mon-El. As each Daxamite went down on bended knee before Kara with their bowed heads, she knew that something was wrong. Her heart stuttered as she finally saw that Mon-El wasn’t with them. Stepping forward she asked urgently, “Where’s Mon-El?”

Telos stood as he addressed her. “My Queen, he stayed on the ship to ensure that the Dominators will never attack this planet again.”

Looking toward the sky, she could see that the ship had already left the atmosphere. “He won’t be able to get back to us.”

Speaking softly, he told her, “He never planned on leaving that ship.”

Shaking her head, Kara spoke with a tremor in her voice. “No, I won’t let them take him.” She heard Alex shout out to her as she propelled herself forward, a sonic boom following in her wake. Flying quickly, she was just about to leave the earth’s atmosphere when four strong arms held her back. Struggling, she fought against J’onn and Clark. “Let me go. I have to save him.”

J’onn tried to reason with her. “You wouldn’t be able to get to him, Supergirl. You know that.”

Struggling harder, she felt Clark’s arms tightly hold her in place. “I have to try. I have to.”

Clark spoke softly, his voice full of empathy. “Kara, you can’t. He wouldn’t want you to. Trust me.”

Shaking her head, Kara didn’t listen. She continued to struggle against them when they all witnessed the flash of the explosion. Kara cried out as she watched the ship get torn apart, knowing it destroyed everything and everyone on it. As one, they started to slowly drift down as the debris from the explosion sped toward them. It immediately started to burn up, with most of it disintegrating before it could reach the ground. Kara let her cousin wrap his arms around her, a sob wracking her body. The pain in her heart was like nothing she had ever experienced. She hadn’t thought anything could hurt more than losing her whole world and family. Yet, this felt like her heart had been torn from her chest with violent finality. Her mate, her partner, her heart was taken from her. Mon-El was gone, forever.

* * *

Lightning danced through the cloud covered sky as a loud boom was heard. A farmer looked up toward the sky as a brilliant flame came flying down, crashing not so far from where he stood. Looking at his wife, they both slowly started to make their way toward the object as it started to rain heavily. As they drew closer a lightning bolt lit the sky before it came rushing down, striking whatever fell from the sky. The farmer motioned for his wife to stay back before he started to move forward again. Looking down into the crater, the farmer’s eyes widened at the sight of a body in a suit with a cape, before he stumbled down into the hole. Crouching down low, he turned to figure over on its back. He sucked in a sharp breath when he didn’t recognize the young man. Shouting out, he told his wife, “Martha!”

His wife’s face appeared as she looked down into the crater. “Jonathan, who is that?”

Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t know, but I think we better call Clark.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never said this was a happy ending!!! Honestly, that ending came out of nowhere but it fits the comic-verse where Clark is the one to find Mon-El. I'm even tossing around the idea of writing a follow-up to this story! Who knows, I'll see where my muse takes me.


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